Arch-support.



1, MUELLER...

ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION-[MED SEPT-19.1918.

' 1,289,;51 5. Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

W/TNEJJES. EL If]? ag/9m? a a. 0 72 zzeler MM r JOHN MUELLER, OF ST. LOUIS,

srnrns @FFEEZQE.

MISSGURI.

ARCH-SUFPPUHT.

Specification of Letters Patent. lPat enftcgdl Ben. 31, 1918 Application filed September 19, 1918. Serial No. 254,772.

To all whom-it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN Mommies, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented cera part hereof.

The present invention is directed to 'improvements in arch-supports, and has for its object to provide a support adapted to be secured to the insole of the shoe in the regions of the heel and ball of the foot, the support being so formed as to permit the introduction of inserts at points Where the break or weak point in the arch is most pronounced, special provision being made for holding an insert against the inside arch of the foot in the form of a pocket or insert receptacle, such pocket being independent of the means for holding an insert against the bottom arch of the foot. The present sup port may be fitted to any of the standard makes of shoes, there being no change necessary in the construction of the shoe proper. The support is sufficient in extent to supplement the usual insole as a support for the foot, and possesses advantages which will be fully apparent from the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a shoe partly in longitudinal middle vertical section to expose the layers of the support and of the outsole and insole of the shoe; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section onthe line 2'2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar section showing an insert leading from the side pocket of the support across the arch; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan of the insole and support with parts of the insole broken away to expose the layers of the support, the layers oeing broken away in the region of the shoe shank to expose an insert disposed across the bottom of the arch; F ig. 5 is a side elevation of the arch-support shown in Fig. 4 turned one-hundred and eighty degrees to the right, one-half of the insole being in middle longitudinal section; and Figs. 6 and 7 are plans of two examples of inserts.

Referring to, the drawings, S represents a conventional shoe, the same being provided with the usual outsole 1, insole 2, shank brace 3, filler 4 and welt 5 as well understood in the art. In the present embodiment or" my invention 1 form the arch-support of a bottom resilient layer or member 6 of metal or equivalent material, over which is superposed an upper flexible layer 7 of leather, or like material, the leather layer preferably overlapping the layer 6 in the region of the ball of the foot. the two layers being secured to the insole in the region of the heel by a rivet 8, and the overlapping end ofthe layer 7 being secured to the insole by stitches 9 in the region of the ball of the foot at which'point the support terminates, the two layers being loose from. one another except at the rivet 8 to permit of the introductlon between them oisuit'able inserts as presently to appear. The layers 6 and 7 cover the ins'olefrom the heel to the ball of the foot, spannin r the full length and width. of the shank oi the shoe, and on the inside they curve upwardlyto engage the inside arch oi the foot as clearly appears from Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the support asa whole thereby engag' ing both the'bottoin and inside arches..-, i

Sewed or otherwise secured to the free con-- vexed edge of the upturned portion ofthe leather layer 7 which by the way slightly overlaps the corresponding upturned portion of the layerti, is a flap-10 which is otherwise loose from the layerv 7 thereby leaving a pocket a between the flapand layer 6. for. the introduction of one end of an insert as presently to be seen.

' The layers 6 and 7 being riveted insole at the heel. but loose from one another otherwise, permit of the ready introto the d'uction between them. along the length of the shank of the shoe and hence along the length of the arch of the footfofv suitable inserts such as 11. an example of which is shown in Figs. 4 and 6, where the length of the insert is sufficient to extend entirelv across the bottom and inside arches or the foot. In the illustration Fig. 4, the insert 11. is shown approximately opposite the middle of the shank of the shoe, but it is apparent that it maybe shifted or adjusted any where along the support between the rivet 8-- and the opposite ends of the layers 6 and 7.

Again, in Fig. 3 is shown an insert 12 with its curved end (Fig. 7) inserted into the pocket at mhind the flap 10, and then brought between the insole 2 and bottom metal layer 7 ti ofthe archsupport. The flap it) of course prevents the insert 12 from rubbing against its i the WWW of the-shoe 'and thus assists in ie venting the insert trom displacement once it has been deposited opposite the inside arch of the foot, The shapes and lengths of the inserts as shown in'higs. 6 and? aremere'ly by Way-oi example and I may resort to an insert of any required shape accordingftothe degree of su port desired anddependlng too on the location of the weakest point of the arch tobe supported;

' One of the mam advanta' es of the pres- I out construction lies-in the' act that an insertmay beintrodu'ced between the layers fiend 'Z and adjusted to any position-along the arch betweenthe heel and ball of the toot; andthat a s ecial insert may be placed opposite the in'si e arch ofthe foot, said in sert' being maintained against longitudinal displacement and prevented from rubbing lutelynecessary but is desirable. 251

against the .shoe-upper'by theflap 10 which forms a pocket (a) for receiving the upper 3 end bf the insert.

The stitching of the leather layer 7 ,"to the insole is not abso- In' Figs'ii and 3 the cross-section of the shoe upper is shown more or less diagrammatically,

' hatching being emitted to better bring'out the features immediately involved inthe in vention. The construction of the support is 3d fication ithout involving a departure obviously susceptible 101 more or less mo die the nature or spirit of the inventiom l'; An arch-support comprising bottom shoe longitudinally and. laterallyand (2X dill ' the introdliction of an insert between the" tending from the region of the heel to the' ball of th e'foot, 'andarchcd to conform to the bottom and inside arches of the 'foot, an

upper yielding layer conforming to the bot-' tom "layer but loose therefrom to permit layers, and a third member comprising a sheet or flap spanning the inside arch of the first member and having a curved upper edge secured to the corresponding curved edged the inside arch of the second menu-- -her, the: first and third members being loose from oneano'ther to form a pocket'for the me ns supportingthe arch of the foot.

2.1m combination with axshoe insole, an:

introduction of an insert lotween them for arch-support comprising a bottom resilient.

.layer. spanning thebottom' and inside arches.

of the foot longitudinally and laterally, a lexible layer deposited floosely" on top of the' bot'tom layer and" co for-min thereto in vcurvature and "being substantially the same in extent, means for securing said layers te' the insole 1n the region of the heel, means for securing the upper layer to the-insole in" I I the region of the ball of the-foot said layers being adapted to receive betdeen them.

an insert to support the arch of the foot, and

a third layer or flap secured to the second layer along the curved edge of the turned-up portion thereof opposite, the inside arch of the foot, said, third layer being'loose from the first layer to, permit of the introduction of an insert affording support to said inside arch.

3. In combination yvith-v a shoe insole, an arch support comprising a bottom. resilient sheet metal .Inember spanning the length and Width of the shank of the shoe and con- 1 forming to, the arched "formations of the looupan upper flexible sheet member con-J l'ormmg to the dimensions and-contour of the bottom member, and loose-therefrom to allow for the introduction of an insert be-i tween the members, the'members being secured to the insole in the region of the, heel, and the upper member being stitched tothc insole at points adjacent the ball of the foot,

and a flapflecured at one edge tothe curved free edgeof ,the turned-up port-ion ottheupper member opposite the inside arch of the foot and loose from the sheet metal mem-- her to permit of the introduction between said member and flap-of a suitable insert, the

parts operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth. i

- In testimony Whereofl aiiix my signature,';

in presence of two Witnesses.

JQHN UELLER,

' Witnesses: H

' Emir. STAREK,

(l. H. GALLON. 

